(R/B) Cobra's & Matadors on Beverly - Excellent Tapas. Purchase wine at the wine shop next door and bring it in. If you are in the mood for Tapas and Cobras is too full, head for Cobra Lily 8442 Wilshire Blvd also Tapas. (same owner, excellent food, this one has Beer & Wine.)

SILVERLAKE AREA- (R/B) Red Lion German Restaurant on Glendale Blvd near Silverlake Blvd. Has downstairs, an upstairs room that looks like a wine cellar and a beer garden outside . Not as over the top as Lowenbrau Keller but a fun crowd.

WEST LA/Near Santa Monica-You should also check out my favorite coffee shop down there,(R) DOLORES', on Santa Monica near the 405 in West LA. near the Nuart - I've been ordering the Eggplant Florentine there since 1980! --Will the Thrill

(R) A burger stand worth visiting is IRV'S in West Hollywood. it is threatened with demolition for a Peet's store it may be a good idea to visit before it's too late: IRV'S 8289 SANTA MONICA Blvd CALL FIRST-MAY BE GONE!

SANTA MONICA-

(R/B) Chez Jay - If you are in Santa Monica you must stop into Chez Jay on Ocean near the Santa Monica Pier. It is a tiny hole in the wall. Food a bit expensive but worth the stop for a drink.
(R) Monsoons on 3rd st Promenade (near Wilshire) for Asian fusion food. reasonable prices, nice setting

(R/B) The Galley is the name of the nautical place 2442 MAIN ST in Santa Monica 310-452-1934 SINCE 1934

General DOWNTOWN / CHINATOWN/ KOREATOWN

most spectacular of all---CLIFTON'S Cafeteria -1935- 7th & Broadway -the old heart of town http://www.cliftonscafeteria.com/ CLIFTON'S IS STILL CLOSED FOR REMODELING AUGUST 2014....

CHINATOWN!!!!!visit it -GREAT Neon at night!

--First we had dim sum at a late 80’s time warp,(R) The EMPRESS Pavilion. The dining room is so big that if you had a football you might score a touchdown

(R/B) Hop Louies Jade Pagoda !

(R) REALM occupies a long defunct 1940s Chinese restaurant called The Hong Kong Café. The original ceramic bamboo, padded cocktail bar and gold dragon ceiling are out of this world! For your interior décor let REALM be an inspiration to you. REALM is at 443 Gin Ling Way, (between Hill and Broadway) Los Angeles

(R/B) Clearman's Galley and the Northwoods Inn in San Gabriel on Rosemead (they are going to tear down the Galley if they haven't already) 8976 Huntington Dr San Gabriel CA 91775 (626) 286-1484 may be gone now-CALL FIRST!

On 2005-09-09 16:10, mrsmiley wrote:Clearman's Galley and the Northwoods Inn in San Gabriel on Rosemead (they are going to tear down the Galley if they haven't already) 8976 Huntington Dr San Gabriel CA 91775 (626) 286-1484

Smiley, they're putting the facade from the Boat onto the old Steak 'n Stein building, which is being moved to the current location of the Boat & being renovated to match the nautical style of the Boat.

Has the Jay's Jayburger on Santa Monica reopened? Jay's Jayburger opened a location in San Diego with the same chili recipe, but I don't think it made it.
_________________
Rev. Dr. Frederick J. Freelance, Ph.D., D.F.S

On 2005-09-09 16:10, mrsmiley wrote:Clearman's Galley and the Northwoods Inn in San Gabriel on Rosemead (they are going to tear down the Galley if they haven't already) 8976 Huntington Dr San Gabriel CA 91775 (626) 286-1484

Smiley, they're putting the facade from the Boat onto the old Steak 'n Stein building, which is being moved to the current location of the Boat & being renovated to match the nautical style of the Boat.

Quote:

I think the Steak and Stein building is staying where it is now but is being "renovated" and a new boat facade added. They plan on tearing down the old Galley completely to make room for parking for the new Kohl's store that replaced the old shopping center. Having been to the old Galley (I never made it to the old Steak and Stein) I don't think the changes will retain any of the character of the old locations. At least we still have the Northwoods Inn and Steak and Stein in Pico Rivera.

Has the Jay's Jayburger on Santa Monica reopened? Jay's Jayburger opened a location in San Diego with the same chili recipe, but I don't think it made it.
_________________
Rev. Dr. Frederick J. Freelance, Ph.D., D.F.S

[ This Message was edited by: freddiefreelance 2005-09-09 21:14 ]

I don't think it has reopened yet. The one in SD was in Mission Hills on Washington. I managed to go there once before it closed. I think they picked the wrong neighborhood to open in (Mission Hills is pretty expensive and upscale).

...and if you get tired of sampling 150 imported beers you can head on across the street to the Oakie Dog (also known as Danny's) or a few doors down to the Volcano Burger for a double cheese that rivals Tommy's.

Riviera at the Fireside - I have not been yet but it's high on my list - 13950 Springdale Street, Westminster, CA 92683 714-897-0477

Jab!
About La Cave: I have dined her for years (I grew up in Costa Mesa), and the food is great! I always go for the Filet & Lobster, which I highly recommend! The mood of La Cave has always set patrons in the mood for Martini's and you will be quite pleased with the selection of entertainers that perform there if you plan to stay after 10pm.

About The Riviera (now Riviera at the Fireside): This restaurant, originally in South Coast Plaza for decades, is now located in the old Fireside Restaurant, both of which have been considered fine dining experiences (although The Riviera has always been my favorite), thus with its relocation is now called "Riviera at the Fireside".

This restaurant will always be my favorite for 2 reasons:
First, this is my first "fine dining experience" shown to me by my mother when I was 15 years old (just before I got my drivers license, and of course, ready to take a date in a car all on my own). She also brushed me up on my proper dining etiquette, how to properly "approve" your wine selection before its served (cork check, wine sniff & taste...yes, yes, at 15 years old!) Also, this is where she gave me my "pep talk" on being a gentleman to the ladies from picking up my date(NO HONKING AT THE CURB!) to dropping her off (and properly escorting her safely to the door.) This is also where I experienced my first Flambé'ed dish, Diane Flambé (aka Steak Diane). Our waiter "David" was also very helpful and saw what my mother was doing and took the liberty of teaching me the reasons & uses for the multitude of forks, spoons & knives used during a fine dining experience. He is a fantastic waiter! Ok, so this first reason had more info than you really needed to know, here's reason number two...

Second, to this day this is probably the only restaurant where I have tried every single dish on the menu, which hasn't changed much since my first dining experience there with my mother 26 years ago, and there has never been a disappointing moment from the initial cocktail being served to the dessert & coffee at the end of a fine meal.

As you may guess, I highly recommend this restaurant. Also, when you make your reservations, ask for "David's Table", who is still there! In the 26 years I have gone, I have only missed one dining experience there without him.

If you want to impress your date (wife or girlfriend/boyfriend...and yes, you can still have a "date" with your wife), this is what I recommend for both fantastic palate sensations & visual presentation:

Great steak and seafood in an old timey, nautical setting. Drinks are really good too.

The real non-food bonuses to this place is the fact that it is decked out with nautical history/decor, not over the top, but enough to keep the atmosphere. During the day you command a sweeping view of the pacific ocean, as the restuarant sits a little above the Point Vicente light house.

Sugercaddydaddy - Great personal info on La Cave and Riviera at the Fireside! I love flambe dishes and order them whenever they're offered. Steak Diane has been a favorite of mine since I was a kid and my mother started making it in the 1960s. It is a dish that restaurants often don't make right. And I can't believe they make a flambe salad! And cafe Diablo is one of my favorite after-dinner drinks.

For a long time I've wanted to start a restaurant that harkens back to a 1950s dining experience and serve everything flambed. I would simply call it "The Flame" and have a big neon flickering flame on the sign.

The Arches - roadside fine dining since 1922 - I peeked in once and looked at the menu - the atmosphere was great but the prices were very high at dinner, lunch may be a better deal - someday I'll check it out - 3334 W Coast Highway at Newport Highway (949) 645-7077

Gus' BBQ - Great BBQ/Family Restaurant, and even better Neon signage, since 1946. It's just 2 blocks north & across the street from the Rialto Theatre, so you can stop by before seeing Rocky Horror or another Midnight Movie. 808 Fair Oaks Avenue (626) 799-3251

The Dresden - OK it's been 10 years since the movie Swingers came out and the trendy crowds no longer go here, so it's time to visit it again. It's still as cool as ever. The food in the restaurant is pretty good, the lounge is gorgeous, and there's live entertainment every night except Sunday (Marty and Elaine still going strong after 23 years). - 1760 N. Vermont Avenue, Hollywood, California 90027 (stumbling distance from the Tiki Ti)